


Christmas Strangers

by gayforthewindyboy



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Sburb Session, Christmas AU, Cute, Fluff, M/M, No Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-07
Updated: 2016-01-07
Packaged: 2018-05-12 10:23:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5662837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gayforthewindyboy/pseuds/gayforthewindyboy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A strange meeting turns Christmas into the best holiday Dave's had in a while.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Christmas Strangers

Dave leaned back against the metal bench. His coat was buckled up and he even had a sweater on underneath. His gloved hands were wrapped around a cup of hot ococa from the local 24 hour cafe a few minutes' walk from there. Through his aviators, he watched the steam coil out through the small hole he poked in the top with a safety pin he found in his pocket. He hadn't taken a sip yet, he was waiting for it to cool enough for him to not burn the hell out of his tongue. He glanced at his wrist watch and sighed. It was nearly midnight. The train left about 15 minutes ago, if it was on time, and wouldn't be back until around 2 am, if it was on time. He had two hours to kill, and he had nothing to do.

His gaze was shifted away from the steam in the direction where a sounds of shoes scuffling on the cement sounded. At first glance, he could tell the guy was about as old as him. He sat on the next bench over, and in his hands was a Blizzard from Dairy Queen. Dave rose his eyebrows in disbelief before giving the tiniest shake of his head and turning his attention back to his hot cocoa. Just looking at the ice cream was making Dave feel colder. He lifted the tab and took a small sip. He let out a soft sigh in contentment before taking a bigger sip. After a couple minutes of silence passed, Dave was suddenly a third wheel during the other guy's phone call.

"Hello?" Pause. "Oh, hey." Pause. "Uh, No. I'm not home." The conversation went on like that for a bit, and then he gave a response which peeked Dave's attention. The person on the other line must have been thinking the exact same thing as him. "My teeth are chattering because I'm cold." He gave a short laugh, "Yeah, I'm eating ice cream. Problem with my food choices?" Dave glanced turned his head a little and made it look nonchalant, and focused his eyes on him. "It's never too cold for ice cream," the guy declared. Dave stifled a small laugh, pressing the back of his hand to his mouth. He passed it off as a small cough and looked away from the guy. The short amount of time his eyes were on the stranger next to him was enough time for Dave to notice he was attractive.

He was probably a few inches below average, but Dave wouldn't know for sure unless the guy stood up. He was soft features and metal frames adorned the upper part of his face. The glasses looked good on him, though. Dave would never be able to pull off any glasses other than the aviators he currently had on. His hair was messy, but it looked good on him and framed his face nicely. Dave couldn't tell much else, since he had a coat on.

Another minute passed before Dave heard him say goodbye. Dave waited a couple moments before decided that it was time for him to approach the cute stranger. "You know, I don't think I've ever seen someone eat ice cream in the middle of winter," he said, taking a seat on the bench seat behind him. His voice had an odd little quirk to it, it sounded controlled, like he practiced talking like so in the mornings to himself or something. No matter how hard he tried, Dave couldn't hide the French accent that appeared when words had I's in them. So it was often.

"Then you don't know the right kind of people," he replied, shifting so he was facing the blonde. "I've never met someone who wears sunglasses when it's midnight, so I guess we're even." He gave Dave a goofy smile and Dave smiled in return.

"Then you don't know the right kind of people," he mimicked, ignoring the eruption of butterflies in his stomach. "M'name's Dave."

"I'm John. Pleasure to meet you, Dave!"

Dave took a sip of his hot cocoa and yawned. "So, Christmas Eve. Where you headed on a train?"

"Ah, away from here. I guess. I don't like being here during Christmas. I could ask you the same thing, Sunglasses."

"Well, nerd, I'm on my way to my family's annual Christmas Extravaganza. Best part of the year, to be honest."

"That's sounds so great!" John smiled half heartedly. "My family hasn't had a Christmas like that in ages."

"Why?"

"Let's just say I don't really have much of a family anymore," John replied dryly.

"Unacceptable. You have to be with some type of family on Christmas!"

"No, it's fine, really! I'm fine with it."

"Nope. New plans. You're coming with me."

"You just met me! How do you know I'm not a mass murderer or something?"

Dave smiled and shrugged. "Just gonna trust you. Besides, I like spontaneous things, and this is spontaneous. And you aren't going to change my mind either."

John rolled his eyes and laughed. "Fine, fine. I'll go with you. It's not like I have anywhere else to go to, really." Dave gave a small cheer. He looked at his watch again and sighed.

"Still another hour before the train gets here."

"That just means we have an hour to get to know each other.... And give me an idea of what it's gonna be like there?"

"Well, my name is Dave. I just turned 22 years old. I was born December 3rd. I like making sweet beats and photography. My brothers are assholes but I love them. Don't... Tell them I said that." John smiled and nodded. "Well, we usually have Roxy and Rose over. Rose is my twin, Roxy is my big sister. There's Dirk, who's like 2 years older than me, and then there's Brodrick, but don't call him that, just call him Bro. He took care of me and Dirk when our parents left. Roxy and Rose didn't live with us then, I'm not sure where they lived. I was like 3, so I don't think it really matters at this point."

"Interesting. I'm John, I'm 22 years old, too! I was born April 13th, though. I like science stuff and hate cake. I don't know why, might have something to do with the fact my dad made so much when I was younger that I grew to hate it. Anyway. I don't have any siblings. I have a cousin, but she lives on some island because her guardians were loaded. I think we're the only two left of our lineage, to be honest."

"Oh," Dave lowered his gaze. "Sorry to hear that. You'll get plenty of family feelings with us, though," he smiled. "Maybe. Well, at least from the girls you will. From Bro and Dirk, you'll probably... Well, you'll see." Dave noticed the apprehensive look on John's face. "No no! It's nothing bad! Promise! They're just... Standoffish."

"Alright..." John's voice trailed off. They lapsed into an awkward silence. It was broken not too long after by the rumble of Dave's stomach. He smiled sheepishly at John. "Hungry?"

"A little bit. Wanna go grab something to eat?"

"Sure." The smaller boy stood up and stretched. Dave smiled to himself and stood up as well. He reveled in the fact that he was about half a foot taller than him. "You're so tall!" John exclaimed.

"Six feet and two inches. How tall are you? Four foot, maybe?" He teased, a smile gracing his features.

"I'll have you know that I'm 5'6. Dick," he laughed. "Where are we going?"

"There's this little cafe I know not too far from here that's a 24 hour one. It's cute. Aesthetically pleasing. I like it."

"Do you live around here?"

"Next city over, but I visit here enough to where they know my name and my usual order." John hummed in response and held out his hand as if to say 'lead the way'. Dave pushed up his shades, flipped his hood over his head, and shoved his hands into the jacket pockets. He sauntered his way up the stairs to the side, out onto the usually busy city streets. The sound of John's suitcase rolling behind him made him smile to himself. Considering it was only about 1 AM, there weren't a lot of people out. In fact, the streets were vacant besides him and the boy next to him. The snow swirled around his boots and his breath came out in clouds. The air made his nose cold instantly and it burned to breathe it in. He smiled and glanced at John.

John looked perfectly comfortable in the cold weather. _He must be used to the cold,_ he thought to himself. He looked up at the light to see if he could legally cross the road. He couldn't, so he looked to see if there were any cars coming. Since there weren't, he just continued to walk across the street. He sensed the pause in John's step before he hurriedly caught back up. John smiled a little sheepishly. Dave gave a small shrug back before continuing to walk. He stepped inside the cafe and the bell rang throughout the place. Dave looked around and tapped his feet one at a time on the ground, effectively knocking the snow off his show. He gave a wave to the waitress that appeared in front of them. "Coco," he greeted warmly.

"Dave!" A grin spread across her face. "It's been a little while since you've been here? Haven't found a new cafe to go to, huh?"

"Not a chance," he let a smirk slide across his lips. "Why find a new place when you're here,  _mon cher_?" His French came smoothly, perfected after living several years in France. His parents had left and Bro picked up and moved him and his other brother to France for a while, to get away. He ended up loving it there and they stayed for 16 years. He leaned against the podium. "Table for two."

"Of course, flirt." She rolled her eyes at the blonde. She grabbed one menu and led both of the boys towards a booth in the back. Once they slid into their respective seats, they both shed their outer layering. Dave ended up being in a red sweater that contrasted well with his skin tone, and John was sporting a nice blue plaid button up which hugged his arms nicely, and Dave made sure to take a note of it. "I take it you're having your usual?"

"You betcha," he flashed her a toothy grin.

"What can I get ya to drink?" she focused her attention on John instead, writing pad in hand and pencil posed to write.

"Water," he smiled.

"Alrighty! Be right out with that. I'll be by in a bit to take your order." She pocketed her writing pad and pencil before sashaying away and Dave sank back against the cushions. John raised his eyebrow questioningly.

"Hurry up at figure out what to eat," he urged.

"What are you getting?"

"I'm getting chili cheese fries and some cherry cola. They're pretty damn good."

"I'll have those, too, then! I haven't had chili cheese fries in forever." Both of the boys sat quietly after that, waiting for Coco to return. "Is Coco her real name?"

"No, it's-"

"Courtney," she supplied herself. "Coco is just a nickname." She set down Dave's soda and John's water, then pulled out her pad and pencil again. "Ready to order?"

"Chili fries," he held up his menu, "Please." She wrote it down and took his menu. She leaned down and stage whispered into Dave's ear, "He's pretty cute, Strider. Got yourself a good one, it seems." A blush crept up Dave's neck and he shook the image of him and John holding hands from his mind.

"You expect me to bring someone ugly?" He placed a hand over his heart and gave a pained expression. "My poor heart, it's broken thanks to your lack of faith in me." She merely laughed and walked away, tossing a wave over her shoulder.

"I'm cute, huh?"

 _Shit_. Dave didn't even think of the consequences of him saying that. He cocked his eyebrow. "I don't have low standards, Johnathan. I only pick the best of the best to bring for 1 AM food hunt." He smiled to show he was joking (not about him being cute though) and it eased John a bit. He laughed and shook his head.

"I didn't take you for a man who would do anything less,  _David_ ," he returned. They fell into an easy conversation until their food arrived.

"Have you seen all the Star Wars?" John asked, sipping on his drink.

"I have not."

"Oh man! We so have to watch them! They're one of my favourite films of all time."

"Really?" Dave laughed. "You're such a nerd."

Their conversation was soon interrupted my Coco dropping their food off. They ate with the occasional passing comment, but not much was said between the two. The fries were like heaven, and they were one of the main reasons Dave continued to come back to this small cafe. After Coco cleared the plates away, she came back with the check. Dave reached over and grabbed it before John had a chance to even think about it and pulled out his wallet.

"Dave, no," he protested. "I can pay for myself."

"Nah, not gentleman like. I was the one who chose to get food in the first place, therefore I pay," he brushed John's complaint to the side with a wave of his hand. He handed the money to Coco and as soon as she walked away, John brought it up again.

"I don't think it's fair," he began.

"Fair or not, it's already done, bro." He tucked his phone and money into his pocket and slid his jacket back on. John followed suit and once Dave pocketed his change, they were off. "What time is it?"

John pulled out his phone and tapped the screen twice to make it come to life. "It's... 1:53."

"Well, we better walk quickly, then. Train should be there in 7 minutes." Dave quickened his walk and John matched him step for step. They crossed the street, disregarding the light, and rushing towards the stairs. They descended the stairs in record time and John nearly tripped, but Dave reached out his arm to stop him from tumbling down. As his arm connected with John's chest, Dave swore he could feel tingles running up and down his arm. He again ignored it. "Time now?"

"2:03," John checked again.

"We're good then, probably." Dave leaned back against the wall, took out a pack of cigarettes, and lit one. He took a drag before offering one to John.

"No, thanks. I don't smoke."

"I wish I didn't," Dave put the lighter and pack away, taking another drag. "Shitty habit, working on breaking it. I've cut back a lot. Quittin' all the way is my New Year's Resolution."

John's response was overpowered by the train screeching to a halt. All the doors opened and Dave reluctantly flicked the end of his cigarette until the hots were out. He put it back in the box and pushed himself off the wall. John was already paying the fare, so Dave hurried and caught up. They boarded the train and the doors shut behind them, enclosing them inside. Looking around, Dave noticed that they were the only two in there. He shrugged and figured, _He_ _y, it's Christmas Eve. Well, technically Christmas Day, but regardless, not many people are going to be out and about at this time of night._ They took the seat to the right of the door and they were off to Dave's family within 10 minutes of sitting down.

 

The ride was uneventful. John and Dave bickered over what kind of movies were good ( _John, dude, you have shit taste in movies. I swear to god, bring up that in front of my brothers and they will teach you the ways of a good movie._ ) and usual Christmas traditions ( _Don't tell me you've never built a Gingerbread House, Dave! That's insane! We're totally making one there, I don't care what you say._ ) _  
_

Within the first two hours of the ride, Dave and John became actual friends. Not the whole awkward I'm-Inviting-You-To-My-Christmas-Thing-So-Now-We-Have-To-Be-Friends, no. Dave actually enjoyed being around John, and he could tell John enjoyed the time as well. After a while, John dozed off and Dave was left to his own devices. Dave spent a lot of the time going over how he felt. He knew he liked John. What he didn't know was whether or not it was purely because John was conventionally attractive and 100% Dave's type.

His eyes drew Dave in. He felt like he could find the answer to life in those deep blue eyes. His smile was contagious and it made Dave feel awkward and happy. Once Dave heard his laugh once, he knew that he wanted to make John laugh a lot so he could hear it. He was short and it was so adorable to Dave. He loved being the taller one. Well, he was nearly always the taller one, but still.

Dave sighed to himself and let it process that he actually did like him for more than his looks. He actually wanted something to happen between them. He pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his chin on top of them, closing his eyes. The picture of him and John holding hands came to mind again and Dave felt his cheeks heat up. He was pretty crewed at this point. He didn't even know if John was interested in men, much less interested in him.

 

6:12 AM hit and the train's whistle went off, jolting Dave from his sleep. He tiredly yawned and scratched his stomach before looking to the side.  _He's still asleep? Damn. Heavy sleeper._ Mignon. _Should probably wake him up though._ Dave shook his head to clear the fuzziness and started to shake John. "Yo, wake up. We're here."

"Huh?" John sat up sleeping. His glasses were askew and his jacket left indents on his face from how he was lying. Dave hid a fond smile with a cough and a turn of his head.

"We're here, Egdork. get up." Dave gave John the nickname once he found out his last name was Egbert. John had the cue, nerdy, dorky look to him and the nickname came to Dave instantly. He thought it was fitting. John didn't find it so.

"Dave," he whined, pulling himself off the seat, "I said not to call me that, jackass." Dave laughed and shook his head.

"Too bad, you're stuck with it. Now c'mon, I have to grab my car and then we have another hour of driving to do, so you can sleep some more."

"Have you slept?" John bent down and pulled out his suitcase from under where he was just lying.

Dave admittedly checked him out while he did so.  _Not bad_ , Dave nodded slightly.  _Nice arms, nice legs, nice ass._

"Yeah, don't worry about it." They walked out into the brisk cold and Dave shivered. He took out his keys and jingled them as he walked. He couldn't wait until he was in his warm car, just thinking about it made him start shivering even worse in anticipation for the warmth. Out in the parking lot, he found his car easily. It was the only red Lamborghini on the lot. Dave glanced at John to gauge his reaction. His eyes were wide and he stopped in his tracks as the doors lifted up.

"You're shitting me."

"Not at all."

" _This_ is your car? Seriously? How loaded are you guys?"

Dave rubbed the back of his neck and gave a small laugh. "Pretty, actually. Here, I'll put your bags away. You can either slide in the passenger seat or the back seat."

"I'm so not sleeping in this car, dude. Passenger seat it is." He went to the other side and slid in, admiring it. Dave could see him run his hands over the seat and the side of the door after he closed it. He smiled to himself and put the suitcase in the trunk before hopping in the driver's seat and starting the car. "Ready to meet my family?"

"If your house is like a mansion, I think I'm gonna die on the spot."

"I'll make sure to call the paramedics before we get there then."

"You're joking."

Dave shook his head and stifled a laugh. He revved the engine a little to give a show before driving off the lot. Out of the corner of his eye, he managed to capture John's excitement over his car. John's smile was wide and his cheeks were rosy from the cold. His jacket was across his lap and his glasses slid down to the tip of his nose. He pushed them up with a finger and laughed.

"Dave, your car is the kind of car I've only dreamed about. I'm so jealous."

"Well, stay with me and you'll be able to see it a lot. I have one here and one back home. Had my brothers drop this off yesterday. Nice, yeah?"

"Super fucking nice, man."

Dave turned on the radio and hummed along to the pop song that was playing. He took one hand off the steering wheel and opened the middle console. He dug through there for the CD he wanted, keeping his eyes on the road. He pulled it out and glanced at it, cheering in triumph. He started steering with his knee so he could take the CD out of it's case and put it in the CD player. Soon after, Arctic Monkeys was flowing all around the car, and Dave felt content.

Not too long after, John did exactly what he said he wasn't going to do. He fell asleep within a half hour and the early scenery passed without someone to oggle at it.

 

Dave pulled into the driveway of his older brother's house. He put the car in park and took the keys out of the ignition before gently shaking the boy asleep next to him. "John, hey." All he got in reply was a soft grunt. "We've arrived, get up." John sleepily sat up and rubbed his eyes. He blearily opened the car door and just watched as the door raised above his head. Dave met him behind the car to take out his suitcase. They were barely 10 steps away from the car when a shrill "Dave!" sounded and a ball of purple and blonde hurdled into him. He staggered back a few steps but managed to steady them quickly. He pat the girls head. "Roxy," he said in acknowledgement.

"You're late, c'mon!" Roxy stepped back and smiled, a margarita already in her hand. She finally caught sight of John and jerked her head towards him. "Who he?"

"He John," Dave replied. "He's a friend. Figured Bro wouldn't mind if I brought one."

John stood there, slight confusion written all over his face. "Wha.."

"John, meet Roxy, my older sister. She's most likely already on her way to be drunk, even though it's only like 7:30 in the morning. Roxy, meet John."

"John is such a cute name! Is it short for Johnathan?"

"No," he yawned. "John, just.. Just John. It's cold, can we go inside?"

Instead of answering, Dave walked up the steps and opened the door. He effectively dodged the foot that was connected to Dirk, who came out of no where. Dave rolled his eyes, pushing his shades up. "Getting rusty, dude."

"Welcome back," Dirk peered over his shoulder and smirked. "Hey Bro! Looks like little Davey here finally got himself a boytoy!"

"Oh really now?" The eldest Strider made an appearance, glancing between Dave and John.

"He's not," Dave explained. "Just a friend, chill out man. Gonna scare him away or some shit."

John looked at all three Striders one at a time. He could definitely see the family resemblance. He didn't understand how they were able to keep their faces blank and stoic like they all were. It was a little scary and intimidating. Roxy sidled up beside him. "C'mon, let's get you settled into one of the rooms." John merely nodded and after giving a small wave to Dave, he was led away.

"Cute," Dirk noted. "If you aren't interested in him, I might take a shot."

"Fuck off," Dave retorted, crossing his arms. "Leave him alone."

"So he  _is_ your boyfriend," Dirk smirked. Bro set a hand on top of Dave's head as if to say 'welcome home' and left the room. Dave ran his fingers through his hair and sighed.

"No, he's not. I already told you that."  _But I want him to be._

"But you like him."

"I don't even  _know_ him enough to like him."  _Nah, you're totally right._

"Hasn't stopped you before."

"He's not just another one night stand, bro. There's something... Different about him. Besides, I don't know if he's even into guys."

"You're slackin', baby bro. Bro's gonna make some breakfast though. Go get settled in and shit and we'll have one of the girls call you down when it's time. Rose is still asleep, so it'll most likely be Roxy." Dave shrugged and walked away.

He went up to his room and fell onto his bed face first with a sigh. He rolled onto his back and grabbed a pillow, hugging it to his chest. He was happy to be home, he actually really missed being here. His room was the same as when he first left the house. His king-sized bed was shoved into the corner, adorned with soft blankets and many pillows. Dave's philosophy was 'You can never have too many pillows'. Across the room, his mahogany dresser was against the wall. The top of it was littered with miscellaneous things like candy wrappers, pencils, and empty film containers. His closet sat beside his dresser, and inside of it was gorgeous. He had clothes that he never wore hanging up, and the shelves above them were filled with instruments he attempted to play, shoes he liked but never wore, hats and other things. The wall next to his dresser was dedicated to all the pictures he took, along with his drawings. 

Dave was woken up by the smell of delicious breakfast wafting up to his room. He sat up drowsily and picked himself up off the bed. His eyes were still shut as he followed the smell down the stairs and into the kitchen. He stopped in the doorway and looked in. Bro was finishing up, and he motioned to the cupboards. "Set the table."

Dave's version of set the table ended up being piling the plates in one area, the silverware next to them, glasses next the the silverware, and napkins in the middle. "Done."

"Not what I meant, asshole," Bro shook his head slightly. "But it'll do. Go get the others, since you're up already." His southern accent was strong when he spoke. His was the only voice that still had the accent of the south, regardless of how long he lived away from there. He never really picked up the French accent on things, like Dave and Dirk did.

Dave did as he was told and soon enough, everyone was surrounded the table, piling waffles, pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausages, and fruit onto their plates. Dave took his plate to the living room, and John was close behind him. "Your family seems nice."

"Yeah. Sleep well?"

"Yeah, the bed's really comfortable? I've never slept in a comfy bed like that!" John exclaimed. Dave laughed and took a bite of his eggs. The other four surrounded them after their plates were full. Then came 21 Questions.

"How old are you?"

"Do you work?

"Do you like to drink?"

"Are you gay?"

" _Dirk!_ "Dave reprimanded, kicking his shin from where he was sitting. "Guys, give him time to answer."

John's face was heating up at all the attention. "I'm.. I'm 22? I'm not currently.. working. Uh, I've never really drank before? So I guess I wouldn't know." Dave noticed him purposely avoid the last question, and caught Rose's eyes. Her violet ones clashed with his reds ones with intensity. It felt as if she knew something that he didn't. He tore his gaze away from her in favour of looking at John.

"You didn't answer the last one," Dirk commented. 

"He doesn't have to," Dave interjected. "Just 'cuz your gay ass is trying to hit it don't mean a damn thing." Dirk raised an eyebrow at him and Dave got the gist of what he was trying to convey. Dave was getting possessive over John.

John smiled  a little and shook his head. "No, it's fine. I mean, I guess it's pretty easy to see? Since I... Didn't really answer before? I'm gay. Well, Bi, but I have a preference for guys so...." his voice trailed off as everyone continued to look at him. He glanced around to see Dirk and Dave in a glare off, Rose smirking smugly, and the two elder siblings finishing off their plate of food. He started picking at his food again, clearing his throat. "So, yeah. This food is really good by the way. Who cooked it?"

"That'd be me," Bro stood up, holding out his hand to the sitting brunette. "M'names Brodrick, but don' call me that. Call me Bro. Nice t'meetchya."

John set his fork down and reached out, grasping his hand and shaking it firmly. "Thank you for letting me stay, and thank you for the good food, Bro."

"No problem, any friend of Dave's is a friend of ours." Bro stepped towards the other Striders and slapped each on the back of their heads. "Quit actin' like fuckin' dogs. Eat ya food so we can get this show on the road."

Dave glared up at Bro before masking his face and continuing eating, rubbing his sore head. Once Bro was out of the room, Dave jostled John with his shoulder. "So, what do you think of here so far?"

"I like it. This house is amazing, so is your car, and the food is great. Also, Roxy is fun. I like her."

"Ohhhh, Johnny babe! I like you, too!" she gushed from her seat a few feet away.

John laughed and took the last bite of his food. Dave stood up immediately and took his plate. He placed it on top of his own nearly empty one and set it in the kitchen. By the time he walked back out, Rose was in his spot. He sighed dramatically and draped himself across both Rose and John. "Oh, my dear Rose. How could you betray my trust like this, stealing my seat?"

"Why, Dave, what ever do you mean?" she played along, oozing faux confusion.

"Not only my trust! But you're breaking my heart!" He rolled so he was on his back. He smiled to himself when he noticed John was trying not to crack up. Dave reached towards the ceiling with one arm, and the other clutched his shirt right above his heart. "Pain! So much pain! I cannot go on with this betrayal."

Rose smiled sweetly. "Ah, oh well. _Au revoir_ , dear brother."

Dave snorted and rolled off of the two. John was laughing softly, and Rose was most definitely amused by his shenanigans.

 

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Dave had to explain to a very confused John that on Christmas day, they open their presents that night. The group lounged around, talked some more, played some games, and watched Christmas specials. Around noon, Dave left the house with Roxy.  _On a mission_  as Roxy put it while the pulled on their jackets and shoes and rushing out of the house in a flurry of laughs and smiles and secretiveness. Once they got back, they went back to doing what they were doing before.

 

Hours passed and Dave pulled out his phone and took a look at the time. It was almost 6 P.M. "I'm gonna go shower," Dave announced. He leaned down so he was eye level with John. "Forgive me for leaving a beautiful princess like yourself here with these mongrels." He pat John's head before walking away, laughing softly at John's response of _I'm not a princess you asshole, I'm a gorgeous prince, fuck you_. After grabbing his towel and a new outfit from his room, he disappeared inside the bathroom. He took his time showering, just thinking. Ever since he met John, he felt something pulling him towards the guy. Maybe it was his eyes, or his underlying dorky attitude. Dave didn't know for sure, but it was scaring him a little. In a good way. He didn't even think that was possible, but here he is.

After nearly an hour of letting the hot water fall over him, steaming up the bathroom, someone banged on the door. "Yo, dickwad. Get out of there! I'm waiting on you to get out so I can piss!" Dave chose not to yell back at Dirk. Instead, he shut the water off, which had turned mildly cold, and stepped out. He rubbed his hair with the towel before wrapping it around his waist. "C'mon, dude!"

"Fuck off!" he snapped back. "Get your damn panties out of a fucking twist, I'm drying off." Dave heard the sound of retreating footsteps and sighed. He dressed at a leisurely pace and shoved his shades on his face. He padded back to his room to toss his damp towel on the bed.  _I'll put it away later._ He continued on to the living room, where the rest of the gang was waiting. He casually sat down where he sat the last time, and crossed his arms.

"Took ya damn long enough."

"Woulda been faster if Dick over there wasn't poundin' and yellin' at me to get the fuck out," he grumbled, throwing a glare at Dirk. Dirk just smiled innocently and waved. Dave took his seat next to John and looked around before grinning. "Presents?"

"Presents?" Dirk sat up quickly, staring longingly at the pile in the corner of the living room.

"Presents," Bro confirmed. Everyone cheered and Rose scooted over to the pile. She went around and placed everyone's presents in front of them in a little pile.

"Bro opened the first present," Dave encouraged. Bro smiled and reached between his legs and picked up a small box, wrapped in shiny red wrapping paper. He tore into it and laughed when he opened it.

He aw'd and held the watch close to his heart. It had the Power Puff Girls on it and it was clearly meant for a little girl, but he put it on his bony wrist anyway. "It's perfect." Everyone waited until he reached for his next one before tearing into their own.

Throughout the room "aw sweet", "fuck yes", "wicked", and other sounds of approval echoed. In the end, Roxy had gotten a shit ton of alcohol and cat related things, and Dirk had gotten new robotic things. Rose had gotten a bunch of witch things, such as stones, herbs, candles, and things to make alters. Bro had gotten a brand new car courtesy of everyone in the room, excluding John. Dave had a crown on his head, a red cape around his shoulders, and his very own Harry Potter wand. His other presents resided on his bed, but he refused to take off the others. Dave pointed the wand at John and exclaimed, "Avada Kedavra!"

John started laughing. "The killing curse? Why are you trying to kill me?"

"You're too pretty." Dave replied cheekily. "No one can be prettier than me! I'm the prettiest prince out there."

John made a small sound of agreement and Dave's cheeks went pink. He tapped John on the head before spinning around, his cape billowing behind him. He locked gazes with  Roxy and Roxy smiled. She threw something at Dave and his hand shot out and grabbed it in mid-air. He didn't even have to look at it. He brought it in front of him and sighed. "Fireball? Last time I drank this, I felt like I was dying. Got anything else?"

"For me, not you. Drink up, buttercup. You love it, don't be a baby," Roxy teased. "Let everyone bless the bottle and lets get shitty!"

Dave rolled his eyes and did as he was told. Once the bottle reached him, he cracked it. "Chaser?" Roxy shook her head 'no'. "Did you guys see if this is okay with John?"

"Of course I did!" Roxy huffed. "I'm not a bitch, you know."

Dave looked at John and raised an eyebrow. His wet hair was a mess but it looked good on him. It left streaks of water down his glasses, and his cheeks were damp. John took it all in and smiled. "Go ahead, I wanna join in anyway. So hurry and pass it to me."

Dave smiled and took a swig from the bottle. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and handed it to John. He made a face and shuddered. "Overwhelming cinnamon, man." He shifted his body and gave his full attention to John. "Go, go, go, go, gogogogogo."

John laughed and sniffed it curiously. He jerked his head back. "Smells so.. Strong."

"John, babe, you aren't supposed to sniff before you drink!" Roxy scolded. "Now take your shot and pass it!"

John cautiously brought the bottle back up to his face. He grimaced and took a shot. He started gagging as soon as it went down, and Dave started to rub his back soothing, letting out a breathy chuckle. Dave could feel tingles running up his arm from their contact and he briefly wondered if John felt it, too. If he did, he didn't give any indication of it. "God, that was... Not what I expected," John managed after a minute. The bottle already passed Dirk and Bro, and was now on Roxy. Roxy took her drink without any problems and passed it to Rose. Rose declined the offer and instead, pulled out a drink she already mixed together for herself.

The bottle was back on Dave and it continued like that until the fifth was gone. John was well passed buzzed. He couldn't stop smiling and his eyes were glazed over. He, in the midst of drink passing, managed to scoot closer to Dave, or maybe Dave scooted closer to John. Neither boy knew, all they knew was that they were close enough to where their thighs were touching. Dave wasn't gonna pull away or move unless John did. He felt that feeling again, the feeling of something pulling him closer to John.

"Dave," Roxy cooed, climbing up and sitting on the other side of him. "Do you wanna 'nother bottle?" Dave;s thoughts were fuzzy so he said yes, he didn't care. Roxy handed him a bottle of Sailor Jerry's and a bottle of Coke. "For you and lover boy, right there, if he's able to drink more."

"He's not..." Dave glanced at John fondly. "Not lover boy. _Si seulement il l'était._ "

Rose smiled knowing and Roxy nodded. "In time, hun. Now drink, you aren't shitty enough to where you can still speak coherently."

Dave laughed and took the bottle.

 

The group was drunk, there was music pulsing throughout the house, and Dave felt great. John and Dave were attempting to walk to the kitchen. They were both a giggling mess. John was holding onto Dave for dear life, and Dave helped guide him. Dave started rummaging through the fridge, haphazardly pushing things aside. "Ahah!" he exclaimed. " _T_ _rouvé!_ "

John giggled and tried to snatch the plate of brownies from Dave. Dave ended up stumbling back and John followed. The plate clattered onto the counter, but was John still reaching for it. His body was pressed against Dave's and Dave's senses were on fire. He was hyperaware of everything going on. Even though his senses were fucked because of the alcohol, they still knew what was happened. Dave held his breath and gently slid his hands down so the rested on John's waist. John paused his reaching and looked up at Dave. Dave knew it was a bad idea, but he didn't care. He leaned down and stopped when their foreheads were touching. Their breaths mixed and it was as if everything went silent. John stared at him for a moment.

Dave wasn't going to be the one to close the distance. John has to be the one who wants it, just in case. Just in case Dave messed everything up by kissing him first. John went to move in but startled backwards when Roxy entered loudly. "Dave, oh Daveee!" she squealed, swaying as she ran up to him. "I just loooooooove you sho... so much. SO much." her words were slurring and Dave couldn't help but laugh.

"You,too. Wait. No. Love. Love you too!" he laughed again. After a few more minutes of talking and Roxy saying how much she loved her little brother, the three made it out to the living room. Dave was left in a daze the rest of the day. Everyone else assumed it was because he was drunk, but it wasn't. He almost kissed John. Some guy he just met. Some guy he doesn't even  _know_. Of course, one night stands were common with Dave, he was attractive, but he wanted more with John. He didn't know why, but he did. It was just something about him, like they were meant to be? He felt like he's known John for forever. He felt so comfortable with him, and it was strange.

Dave followed John out and avoided Roxy's knowing gaze. "Dave, dear," Roxy crooned. "You're forgetting something."

"I am?" he confusedly turned and walked closer to the blonde girl. She placed a present in his hand and the lightbulb in his head went off. "Oh! Wait, I have to do something first!" Dave disappeared from the living room, only to return a short amount of time later. Mostly everyone watched him curiously as he stumbled over to John, who was busy laughing at something Rose said to pay attention to Dave, and put one of his hands over John's eyes. "Put... Put your hand out." His speech was slow as he tried to speak without slurring or messing up.

John gave an indignant squeak and covered Dave's hand with one of his own. "Why?"

"Because I said so."

"Well,  _because you said so_ , I guess I will." He held out his hand and Dave carefully placed the present in his hand as if it would break if he moved it wrong, and a card he just made on top. The box completely covered his hand and Dave had to steady it. The card slid off onto the couch beside John, but neither boy took note of it. Dave stepped back, removing his hand from his friends face. John's hand lingered on his for a moment longer before he opened his eyes and looked at the present. "What is it?"

"Open it and find out," Rose laughed. "Dave isn't gonna tell you anything."

John glanced at Dave to see if it was true and he just smiled cheekily. "Open open open!" he cheered, excited to see John's reaction.

John laughed and nodded. He fumbled with the wrapping for a little bit. He self-consciously held it up, aware of everyone in the room looking at him. "How much tape did you put on this, Dave?"

"I wanted to be sure it would stay shut," he pouted. John smiled fondly at the blonde before going back to opening it. It took him a little longer than necessary but he eventually got the paper off. He opened the box and pulled out a Star Wars t-shirt, an ugly christmas sweater with Darth Vaders face on it, and a mug with the phrase _Aren't you a little short for a storm trooper?_ printed on the side. He set everything back in the box carefully and placed it on the ground. He noticed the letter and picked it up.

Dave held his breath as John read the letter. John's face was pink and he set the letter on top of the box before standing up and wrapping his arms around Dave's torso and hiding his face against the other boys chest. "I like you too, dick," he mumbled shyly.

The entire room aw'd and Dirk grudgingly handed a $10 bill over to Roxy. She pocketed it with a triumphant grin and Dave snorted. John pulled back and looked up at Dave, tilting his head a little. His vision wasn't swimming anymore, so he could see the freckles. "Why'd you snort?"

"Roxy and Dirk were betting on us."

"Betting on us?"

Roxy laughed. "Seeing when you guys would get together!"

"It's clear Dave has a thing for you. Clear from the moment you guys walked in the door," Rose commented.

"He gets possessive," Dirk rolled his eyes. "And he definitely did not want me hitting on you."

"He even got you presents and he doesn't do that often, he only did it for us because we're literally related," Roxy pointed out.

Everyone turned to Bro, expecting him to contribute to the conversation. "He never brings people home," was the only thing he said before walking out of the room.

Dave was staring at the ceiling, trying to hide his blush.

"Really?" John grinned, looking up at him then back to the group. "Well, I mean... I like him. Duh. I already said that. I mean like. Uh. It's been a growing crush? I guess. Kinda feels like I've known him forever, to be honest." Dave quickly looked back down at John.

"You, too?"

"Me, too?" John echoed.

"You feel like we've known each other forever, too?" Dave pushed his shades up, looking at the boy who was going to be the man of his dreams.

"Woah. Your eyes are red.... Literally the irises are red."

"I know," Dave laughed, feeling giddy. "I know, they aren't contacts either. But you, too?"

"Me, too." Dave didn't give him a chance to say anything else. His hands cupped John's cheeks and Dave pressed his lips to the older boys. John melted into the kiss, eyes fluttering shut. Dave pulled away from the sweet, short kiss and smiled, resting his forehead against John's. His hands fell from John's cheeks to his shoulders. He was taking everything in, they both were. Dave felt as if something clicked into place when they kissed, and he wasn't letting go of the moment. Not yet at least.

The new lovers were in their own little world and didn't notice when Dirk huffed and slapped another $10 bill into Roxy's hand. 


End file.
